The Gift (Gaara) A Birthday story
by Hannabi77
Summary: The Kazekage has an unexpected day, his birthday will not be anything peaceful ... (The characters known are owned by the great Masashi Kishimoto, but the story here narrated is my own) I hope you enjoy it ! I thank @Lucero Isabel for helping me translate Spanish into English. English Version. Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved. History protected by Safe Creative.
1. Chapter 1

MY GIFT (Ei Fana Hanabi)

It had been a few years since the end of the fourth great ninja war...

In Sunagakure, at dawn, with only little time for the day's sun to appear, in the Kazekage's headquarters, more specifically in the bedrooms of the send siblings, sounds could be heard.

"Kankurō, rise!" an angry Temari was heard, "Don't be a loafer, remember what day it is..." she continued talking as she pulled the covers from the puppeteer.

"It's still too early, Temari," her brother spoke, as he held on to the sheets resisting, "Give me a ten more minutes."

Temari stopped pulling from her brother and sighted with a bit of understanding. "Fine," she said placing her hands to her hips, "but don't go back to sleep, we must hurry or Gaara will wake up and you know he likes disappearing."

"Yes, yes, I know," Kankurō said, wallowing in his bed, "let me fully wake up."

In the meantime, a couple more rooms down at the Kazekage's mansion, a beautiful redhead is slowly waking. He starts by opening his eyelids unhurriedly, until his vision is clear, after, he turns to his side and starts to search for his beloved, loyal teddy bear, releasing he is to his other side, just like he had left him before sleeping.

"Oh. There you are teddy," he speaks insidehis head as he lays observing him, "Today will be a long day..." He fixes hissight on the ceiling, absorbed, "At any moment Temari and Kankurō will come todisturb my tranquility," he thinks. "If I get up at this moment, shower, getdressed, and go to my desk, I will be calm for a few more hours. Or I fakesleep and let them flatter, pamper, spoil and make me breakfast so that I canexplode by eating everything they offer me..." He closed his eyes and decided,"I better get up."


	2. Chapter 2

At that moment in the hallway to his room steps could be heard, just when he was gaining momentum to rise.

"It's them," Gaara, in his mind, "Now that I meditate it, I am a little hungry." He covers himself once again with his sheets and fakes sleep.

There's a knock to his door.

"Gaara," Temari calls, with a soft yet firm voice. "Are you awake?" She questions as she watches how Kankurō struggles with the heavy breakfast tray. "We are coming in."

"Obviously he's asleep, it's too early even for him," Kankurō grumbles while looking angrily at Temari, "Let's go in."

Temari slowly opens the door and with stealthy steps she ventures into her brother's room, followed by Kankurō. "Wow, this room shines from the cleanliness, everything is organized, and there's a smell of lavender," she speaks slowly to Kankurō.

"Of course, what did you expect? One of us had to come out with an obsession to cleaning."

Frowning, Temari tells him, "You are a pig when it comes to cleaning. You shouldn't speak, that room of yours looks like a workshop for puppets."

"That's how it's supposed to be, I am a puppeteer," Kankurō clarified.

They stop fighting and move to one side of the bed (a bed so big all tree could sleep there.) Gently, Temari uncovers Gaara, softly places her hand on his head and starts to tousle his hair.

"Gaara," she speaks with a serene voice. "Gaara, wake up," she repeats.

With that, Gaara reopens his eyes and looks at his siblings.

"Temari?" He fakes surprise, "what is it? Did something happen?"

"I'm here too, little brother," he interrupts, putting on a poker face. "I'm not painted, so ungrateful."

"You were behind Temari and I didn't see you, Kankurō," Gaara responds as he catches sight of his brother.

Temari, without giving any attention to the argument, sneaks up to Gaara and traps him in her arms giving him a big hug. Just like any big sister would do to her little brother.

"Happy Birthday, brother!" she says with both a broken yet happy voice. "Every day I feel more proud of you, Gaara..."

"Temari," Gaara speaks a somewhat harshly. "Thank you sister, but let go, I feel that you are trying to suffocate me."

"Yes, let him go," Kankurō says pushing Temari. "Happy Birthday, younger brother." He lets go of the tray on top of him. "I brought you breakfast, Temari and I made it. Finish everything, you must eat if you want to keep growing," he says trying to place his hand on his hair but Gaara doges. "You need to stop being so sullen. One day you will fall in love, marry and you must be affective."

"I thank you for the trouble of making breakfast, Kankurō, but stop predicting my future," Gaara says trying to calm down since it's too early to be mad.

And with that, the tree continued to talk and share the vast breakfast they had brought into the room. In that scene you could notice the laughs coming from Kankurō and Temari, as well as their burst of anger, and Gaara with his calm and cold look. He would speak here and there even though he was the center of attention.

"Gaara, what are you thinking?" Temari asked, noticing he was staring into blankness. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, Gaara, what's wrong?" Kankurō also questioned, while still chewing. "Are you worried about something?"

Noticing that he had captured the attention of his siblings, Gaara responds:

"No... nothing special, just that that I'll have a hectic day, I want it to end soon."

"Gaara," says Temari half understanding, "You will have a couple of free hours in the afternoon, then a couple of meetings, places to visit and you will be done..."

"That's without counting the places where you have to present in the morning," Kankurō adds, making it worse instead of helping, "cheer up."

"Kankurō, you idiot," Temari says narrowing her eyes, "be quiet."

"I thank you again," says the redhead, "but as you see, I have a non-relaxing day ahead. I must prepare myself."

"Yes Gaara, we know," Temari responds, picking up the empty tray and pulling Kankurō towards the door. "We'll be waiting at the scheduled meeting, don't delay."

"Ha..." Gaara whispers, turning to see them before getting in the shower but notices they are gone. "It seems they did not hear me," he thought as he started to undress and turn on the shower. "Breakfast was a bit heavy, I would have preferred something lighter, but it doesn't matter, it's comforting to know that they take the trouble every year, trying to make me feel cared for and loved." He continues thinking while he relaxes feeling as the water falls pleasantly throughout his head until it conquers his whole body. "I love you both."

He leaves the shower in a hurry after noticing he took longer than planned.

"I cannot be late today," Gaara speaks in his head, as he begins to search his closet for something to wear. "It's supposed to be an important day, he continues, "So I should wear the Kazekage's outfit." He takes it out and places it on his dresser, "But..." He begins to doubt, "My shinobi suit would be more comfortable, since I'll have to be dressed all day," he says as he takes it out and lays it on his dressing room. "But..." He further doubts, "To display my ninja rank would be inappropriate, so I should wear something less formal." He continues to search in the drawer. "But if I present myself in an informal manner, they could see it as a lack of respect... What should I do? I should've asked Temari for help." He rubbed his temple rather impatiently.

Then, he realizes that in his bed there is a box with a bow and note attached. He unconsciously runs to it and reads the letter: "This is my gift, Gaara, I hope it's useful... Sincerely, Temari." He then opens the box and notices it's just what he needs. "Thank you sister," he speaks out loud and starts to get dressed.

At the meeting place, all members have already gathered, with the exception of the most important, Gaara.

"The meeting will start in a few minutes and Gaara has not arrived," Temari says, looking at both sides, trying to calm down. "Has anything happened?"

"Calm down Temari," Kankurō says, trying not to worry. "There's still a few minutes. He should be arriving."

"Maybe you're right but I'll still go look for him," his sister stated as she moved towards the exit. "I'll go, you take care..."

She suddenly stoops, seeing her brother, the Kazekage, enters the room with that reserved air that characterizes him.

"Good morning gentlemen, I beg you forgive me for my delay," Gaara bows apologetically. "Now we can begin, but..."he says, amazed to see the people gathered. "But what are you doing here?"

At the scene, there was 4 of the Kages from the five great nations and behind each one, two teammates.

"No need to apologize, Kazekage-sama," the Mizukage speaks, taking her hand to her hair. "You arrived two minutes before the accorded time, you are on time."

"Today's youth tend to arrive just on time," the Tsuchikage says without staying behind. "We the elders and our customs will be left in oblivion."

"Good morning Kazekage," said the Raikage with his typical aggression, "congratulations on your birthday."

"Thank you Raikage," Gaara answered indifferently, "but I don't understand," he hesitates. "The scheduled meeting was for next week."

"That's right, but we found out about something really important, Gaara," the Hokage Tsunade interrupted, "and the other Kages and I decided to move the meeting forward."

"I understand," Gaara said as he sat down, "and what is so important, that we had to move our meeting forward? Any alarming facts about the investigation?"

"It's not as alarming as the investigation. Gaara, really?" said a familiar voice, "but still it's still very important."

"Naruto?" Gaara asked surprised, realizing he had not noticed the presence of his friend from Konoha. "What do you mean?" Naruto approaches Gaara's seat and starts to speak but is interrupted.

"What the rude blond boy is referring to," says the Tsuchikage, "is that we were all informed one of us was celebrating their birthday so close to our scheduled meeting and we decided to move up the date so we could celebrate together. This way we can reinforce our friendship ties between nations."

"The Tsuchikage is right," added the Mizukage, "I hope that you are not bothered we invited ourselves."

"Sorry for not inviting you," replied Gaara calmly, "but I figured it would be of low priority for a Kage's agenda to attend."

"Stop talking like a boring old man, Gaara," said Tsunade interrupting him, "it's true that our rank prevents us from celebrating common things because we devote all of our time to our work, but every now and then it doesn't hurt us, Kages, to share moments of pleasure and recreation."

The Mizukage also took part.

"The Hokage is right," she said as she rested her elbows on the table. "I understand that despite your age, you must show maturity at all times. Before you Gaara, became Kage, I was the youngest member of the Kages and I was forced to act more mature at every moment too."

"I'll take your words into consideration," cutting off their dialogue, "and it's gratifying to know that you took my village as your resting place, but I have a really busy agenda. So I apologize for not being able to accompany you on this occasion."

The Kages were left astonished, annoyed and a little angry for being disregarded. Gaara was right, they were away from their villages and therefore free of responsibilities. But the Kazekage was in his village and they knew that when they had a birthday they had really busy agendas since everyone wanted to congratulate them and therefore they had to hold visits and meetings. Everyone but the Raikage were distracted with the situation, but suddenly a messenger arrived to the meeting room with a letter from the council members. Temari receives and reads it quickly and approaches her brother, Kankurō, to inform him. He takes the sheet and breaks the silence that had been formed in the room.

"We just received a notification from the high ranks," he says, showing them the letter, "with your permission I will read it:

Dear Kazekage,

The board members agreed to cancel the scheduled meeting because we noticed that we have demanded too much. Our tolerance and understanding towards you was almost non-existent and yet you never rebelled, denied or filed any claim. Your acts are worthy of a Leader and we are proud to have you represent us and the military force of our beloved village, we also wish the best for your birthday and that you rest on this day.

Signed, The Board Members."

Hearing what the letter said, everyone in the room reflected a big smile, except for Gaara; he was flabbergasted, that truly was a gift for him.

"Apparently there's no inconvenience," said the Tsuchikage, "When will we start the dance?" he said getting up from his chair trying to move his back, making the girl with black hair and the Akatsuchi feel mad and forcing him to sit back down. "My back is ready." A few of the people present laughed.

They all stared at the Kazekage, waiting for what he was going to say. Gaara watches his siblings, who were sitting one on each side of him, the two nod to him, as if communicating mentally, then Temari takes the floor:

"Due to the new circumstances, the Kazekage invites you this afternoon to our lounge and to an enjoyable celebration."

"Just in the afternoon? Why not lunch at noon?" Naruto claims. "Come on Gaara don't be so reserved, you have all day free." He starts to get excited, "we could do a bunch of things, like play freeze tag," he imagines a bunch of clones with balls surrounding the Kages, "make sand castles, I could teach you to get the girls. Though, I think you do pretty well by yourself," he remembers his fans pushing him, "and we could even share stories from battle." He starts to imagine they all have long mustaches that make them look old and wise, as they sit around a camp fire talking. "We could also-"

"Naruto, all the ideas you have are good," Kankurō says bringing him back to reality, "but Gaara cannot take that time off."

"Eh... Why?" Naruto asks annoyed. "Gaara has the entire day free, if you don't want to come Kankurō, you don't have to. You are not necessary." Making a fit. "I know Gaara can..."

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Gaara interrupts, "I know I have the day off, but I have a social commitment with the people of my village. They wait for me, the person they consider their hero. I must visit a geriatric center, the orphanage and the general hospital. They will be disappointed if I don't attend this year and I don't want to miss the opportunity to have a good time with them."

All the Kages nodded, since everyone had decided the same thing, except for Naruto, who had not even thought about it.

"Good choice, Kazekage," says the Raikage, without knowing he was about to say the same thing as his father the 3rd Raikage. "You are a good shinobi."

Gaara nodded as if to thank the Raikage, then stood up and spoke.

"I'll leave you now. Temari and Kankurō will provide you with some tourist guides so you can enjoy your stay in the village, until we meet again later."

With that said, Gaara leaves the room. Once out in the hallways, he meets Baki, who offers to accompany him to his scheduled visits.

And there they he can be seen, in the home sitting with the elders and drinking an infusion, while they speak of stories from the past. A few women giving him hand-woven clothes, and yet other daring elder women holding his cheeks as if he was their grandson. Then at the orphanage, being noon and already the lunch hour, he gives company to the children as they eat. They gather tightly around his table though there are plenty of empty seats. Then, they attack him with questions. "How can I become a strong shinobi like you?" "Can I be Kazekage someday?" Or, "Why do you have dark circles around your eyes?" Lastly, at the orphanage's courtyard, he shows them some techniques. Surprising and exiting everyone so much that some started to cry when he had to leave. So, he decided to immortalize the moment by taking a picture with everyone and he promised to return the next year.

"It's nice knowing people love you. Right, Kazekage?" Baki says as they walk to the hospital.

"Yes, it is," responded the redhead as he kept walking and looking forward. "Baki... If you wish you don't have to accompany me anymore. This is my last scheduled visit, I can handle it on my own. You must have things to do."

"Ah... yes..." Baki hesitates, "But will it be alright? You know who's in the hospital, you know who I mean."

"Yes, I know," Gaara says, "that's the reason why I want to go alone. If she sees me arriving with a bodyguard, shell think we still don't trust her."

"Okay Kazekage," he says pausing and watching as Gaara walks away.

At the hospital, he is attended by Shun, the right hand of the head of the medical body. Gaara no longer asks to see the medical chief since he knows they will give him the same excuse, that she is too busy. And so, with Shun as company, he visits the sick. From the terminals, the intensive care and the patients in observation to the pediatric area. Where he stays the longest, since the sick children gather around him. Gaara reads them a story book and they surprise him with hand painted portraits of him. (They were all really funny of course.) He stays a little longer with them listening to what they had to say until they had to go back to sleep. Gaara leaves the area with a large folder full of drawings, he inadvertently encountered the chief Medical Officer.

"Good morning," Gaara say, as a greeting, "I thought you were busy and I was already leaving."

"Well," the Chief Medical Officer said coldly. "I am busy," she said without stopping, but she felt how a hand graved her shoulder, making her turn with annoyance. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you," said the redheaded man with his voice calm but firm. "It's very important."

"I told you, I'm busy," said the Chief Medic, while taking hold of the hand Gaara had on her shoulder. "It will be at another time," she said turning to walk away.

"You're lying," spoke the Kazekage, moving in front to block her. "Don't evade me."

The Medical Officer was going to answer him, when suddenly the voice of a nurse is heard in the scene.

"Ann-sama! I finally found you, please we're behind. We must perform the surgery or the patient will die," said the nurse with an agitated voice from the running. "Please, fallow me."

Gaara had nothing else to say, it seemed, this time she really was busy.

"As you see, I'm busy. I'm leaving now," as she dogged Gaara's side, but his hand stopped her once again, this time by her wrist. "Let me go."

"Today at 5 o'clock, there's a meeting scheduled with the visiting Kages, after that I wish to speak to you in in private." Gaara gave one of his more serious faces.

"I am not interested in interacting with the Kages so my answer is no," said the Medical officer curtly.

"I must insist," Gaara said. "Or I will not let go," he warned.

"Fine," seeing she had no choice. "But let go of me," she pulled her arm freeing herself from his hand. "Where will it be?"

"The information will arrive through Shun," Gaara said as he turned to retreat. "Be on time."

Ann-sama just look at him over her shoulders and started to leave, her anger present in the air.

Gaara went on his way and left the hospital, he headed to his mansion. There he met with his siblings, to whom he informed of the new guest and asked to send her the information of where the gathering would be held. After that he retired into his room to rest for a while.


	3. Chapter 3

He woke up do to the alarm. It was time, he left his bed the way it was, got ready and left his room to go meet his siblings but there were no traces of them. He looked everywhere for them, but nothing. He went down to headquarters, but there was no one there either. In fact, the corridors where all empty. He sensed that something was not right. He started to run, there was no one in their work areas, so he decided to go down to the entrance. Suddenly, as soon as he left:

"HAPPY BIRHDAY KAZEKAGE-SAMA!" Cried a large crowed.

"But... What is this?" Said the young Kazekage, amazed.

Then his siblings approach him and embrace him. They even put a birthday hat on his head. After, Naruto also approaches him and speaks:

"Did you think you could escape us so easily, Gaara?" He said, smiling as he rested his hand on Gaara's shoulder and shaking him in a congratulatory fashion.

"You shouldn't have bothered," he said embarrassed and fixing his view toward the ground, just like he did as a child. "It's just another year."

"Don't say that Kazekage-sama," says the Mizukage. "It's not every year you turn nineteen, you are at the prime of your youth."

"Um... the Mizukage is right," Tsunade added, "You'll see that at our age you'll look back at this days and miss them."

"Speak for yourself, Slug princess," Oonoki said, "I still feel young."

"Yes, the Tsuchikage is so small he could be confused with a child," Naruto joked, to which everyone laughed, including the Tsuchikage, but not as much.

And so Gaara and all the Kages celebrated what was to be just a meal now turned into a festival with a buffet that covered the entire area. They weren't the only ones present, the other shinobi and civilians had a pleasant time as well. Especially with the life of the party, Naruto, who for a time became his female version to annoy Kankurō, the Raikage, the Tsuchikage and every other man he could. He even tried to get his redheaded friend to accompany him to dance, but as expected, he refused, half embarrassed and half mad at the audacity of his friend. There was also that crazy group of girls that wanted to hug him (grope him) with the excuse of his birthday, luckily he had Temari. He also looked for the Medical Chief, but there were no traces of her. He asked if the hospital had been informed and his siblings said they had. In the end he was forced to speak a few words.

"The truth is I am very surprised," said Gaara, rising, "and thankful for having you all organize this festival just for me. To all the Kages from other nations who have honored us with their presence, as well as all the shinobi and all the civilians living in our proud village, thank you very much." He finished by bowing his head gratefully.

After Gaara finished speaking, the people burst into applause and the fan girls screamed... Everyone ended the day happy.

At about midnight, a silhouette could be seen in front of a gravestone in the cemetery. It was Gaara, carrying a bouquet of roses to his beloved mother's grave.

"Forgive my delay,Mother," he said as he knelt down to place the flowers. "I had a very pleasantday today... Thank you for giving me life a day like today, nineteen daysago..." His voice cracked and he could notstop tears from flowing down his eyes. "Even though I have no memories of youin my mind... you will always live in there and in my heart."

He stayed a while longer, then left to go look at the village immersed in the darkness of the night but illuminated by a faint moon. He watched calmly from the roof of his mansion and resting his arms on the security railing. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him and turned around.

"Who's there? Show yourself."

Then out of the darkness the Medical Chief appeared with a flower pot in her hands, she got closer and extended her hands.

"Happy Birthday, I'm sorry but I did not have the time to be present at your gathering," she said this time in a much friendlier voice. "It's for you," she moved her hands forward as she walked in a lethargic way.

Gaara somewhat surprised, hesitated for a moment, but then accepted the gift in his hands.

"Thank you," he said, not knowing what else to say. She felt different, more social. "You shouldn't have bothered coming at this hour. I was going to insist again tomorrow and-"

As he spoke, the medical chief abruptly approached him, knocking him down and falling on top of him. She moved closer to Gaara's face, her hands caressing his red hair and gently joined her lips with his. Everything happened so fast, that Gaara didn't notice until he realized he was kissing back. He closed his eyes, feeling those wet, warm lips but then he firmly pushed her away. He was going to demand an explanation... but the medical chief was unconscious.

"But what happened?" He asked himself indignantly and embarrassed. "Ann-sama wake up," he said as he patted he cheeks so that she would react but she didn't... So he took her in his arms and carried her into his mansion.

Once inside he called his siblings and they appeared immediately.

"What happened? Gaara?" Temari squinted as she looked at who was in his arms. "What are you doing with the fainted Whitey?" (Note: Temari calls her that do to a moment in the past... and because she does not like her. XD Hehehe)

"The Medical Chief," Kankurō expressed, more cheerful than worried. "She looks so beautiful unconscious, usually she looks angry. What happened?"

"I was on the roof,she appeared and apologized for not attending the gathering, then sheapproached me and she..." he stuttered at that part, thinking of whether he should share that detail or not, "and... she gave me a plant as a gift and then fainted."

His siblings did not suspect he had omitted anything. Temari thought for a few seconds and then spoke while she took the pulse of "Whitey" as she called her.

"She's alive, unfortunately... She's just passed out, it does not seem serious, and maybe she just need to sleep."

"I could share my bed," Kankurō says, flirtatiously, "if you want you she could sleep with me."

"Forget it," Temari says angrily, "then, she'll think you abused her and she could kill you. She has fame of being aggressive; besides, you are a pervert."

"Oh yeah," Kankurō says, "and with whom will she sleep? With Gaara?" He asked mockingly.

Gaara opened his eyes wide as if he could feel they had discovered what he omitted, but he chose not to say anything.

"No, she'll sleep in Gaara's room," says Temari. "Gaara will come sleep in the empty bed I have in my room and you Kankurō, will sleep in yours... Don't even think about going into Gaara's room."

"I-I was only joking," Kankurō says, "I know this girl's attitude."

"Gaara, take her to your room," says Temari while she pushes Gaara towards the room. "I'll catchup. I'm bringing one of my pajamas, she can't sleep like that. I'll change her, you go ahead."

And so Gaara is again left alone with the chief medic in his room. He lays her down gently and he stays watching her closely. He had never had never before had the chance of observing her closely she had her skin almost as pale as his, with her light brown hair that looked so perfect like a doll's, a perfect face without makeup and he even noticed she was much younger then him.

Temari arrived and told him to take his pajamas from his shelf and change in her room while she changed the medical chief.

Gaara simply Temari's room, he showered, dressed, and rested on the bed that had beenassigned to him. It had been a long day, he remembered the unexpected visitfrom the Kages, his visit to the civilians, the afternoon party... He stoppedthoughtfully... and the encounter with the medical chief...

"That was the most unexpected thing that has ever happened to me," he thought. "I never imagined her giving me a plant and that kiss..." He took his hand to his lips as if trying to remember. "No... I better stop thinking about it," he shook his head. "Mother... I wonder if you have seen everything from where you are," he whispered as he covered himself and fell asleep with a smile.

END

Greetings. I hope youliked it, as it was my first story. I'll be waiting for your comments.


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